


Off the Rails

by buzzbuzz34



Series: Sasha Week 2021 [5]
Category: Rusty Quill Gaming (Podcast)
Genre: Gen, Train Time, sasha week 2021
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-21
Updated: 2021-01-21
Packaged: 2021-03-13 13:28:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28904139
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/buzzbuzz34/pseuds/buzzbuzz34
Summary: While on their way to Dover, Sasha keeps expecting Eldarion to show up and berate her for not behaving like a lady in their first-class compartment.  Instead, she's accompanied by Hamid, who helps her without question.
Relationships: Hamid Saleh Haroun al-Tahan & Sasha Racket
Series: Sasha Week 2021 [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2112555
Comments: 2
Kudos: 34
Collections: Sasha Week 2021





	Off the Rails

**Author's Note:**

> Written for day 5 of @sashaweek! Today's prompt was Experiences.

The train shuddered as Sasha attempted to set down her cup. It hit the edge of the fancy saucer and fell sideways, spilling hot tea all over the table in the center of their first-class compartment.

Instantly, Sasha’s shoulders tensed, and she waited to be berated.

She could already hear Eldarion yelling at her, telling her that this was no way to behave. Or worse, she would simply give one of those stares that could cut through even Sasha’s steely and indomitable resolve.

But instead, when she looked across the table, she found Hamid, reaching for some napkins to help clean up the mess.

“Oh dear!” He cried. “Are you alright? It didn’t burn you, did it?”

Sasha hadn’t even noticed the tea that spilled onto her hands.

“No, it’s fine.” She grabbed some napkins as well, and soon the table between them was as good as new. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome!” Hamid replied, smiling wide, and Sasha just looked away, not sure how to respond to such a cheery reaction.

The only times Sasha had experienced anything like the first-class car was when she was under Eldarion’s supervision, when Sasha was meant to learn how to be a proper, posh lady. Part of Sasha still half-expected to find Eldarion knocking at the door to tell her to sit up straight. People like Sasha didn’t get these sorts of things, the comfy seats, the attentive servants, the magical sigils that delivered fine food and drink in an instant.

Outside the window, countryside blazed past. It felt strange to leave the buildings behind, and Sasha felt exposed. Where would she hide? If they came for her, there was nowhere to go.

She really needed a drink.

Sasha reached forward and pressed the magical icons on the table to retrieve a glass of wine. If she was going to ride in first-class, surely she should sample some of the fancier offerings?

A glass appeared a moment later, but it was filled with a pale brown liquid that had chunks in it.

“Oh, that doesn’t look right,” Hamid remarked, brow creased. “Unless you wanted soup in a glass.”

“I wanted wine.” Sasha leaned back in her seat, crossed her arms, and sighed.

“Don’t worry, these things can be a bit tricky.”

Hamid pressed some of the buttons without a second thought; he knew from experience what each sigil provided, while Sasha relied more on hoping and accepting whatever she received even if it was far from what she wanted.

“You travel by train a lot, then?” Sasha asked as Hamid worked.

“Oh, a fair bit,” he answered, offering her a smile. “I think you said this was your first time on a train?”

She nodded. “First time out of London. I’ve barely even been above ground all that long.” Again, she glanced to the door, past Zolf - half-asleep – and past Bertie - sewing a new outfit for Brutor – and waited for Eldarion to arrive. How could Sasha be so careless as to pour out stew instead of wine? She should know better. She should _be_ better.

“Well, like I said, these things sometimes seem to have a mind of their own,” Hamid said, snapping Sasha from her unwanted nervousness. “And you’ll get used to traveling by train in time, I’m sure.”

“Right.”

Hamid messed with the sigils a few more times. “That should take care of it. Wine, you said?”

Sasha nodded again, and Hamid pressed the buttons to order up two glasses of wine. Instead, two more glasses of fish soup appeared.

“Oh.”

She couldn’t help but smile a little bit. At least it wasn’t just her having problems, even Hamid was having a time of it. Instead, Sasha reached forward and took one of the glasses, then held it up.

“A toast,” she said, “to my first train ride?” She didn’t quite know what she was doing, but it felt right in the moment.

Hamid grinned and grabbed the other glass. “And to many more.”

They leaned forward to clink the glasses together, then each took a sip of the stew.

“Do wish it was wine, but it’s not bad,” Hamid said with a chuckle.

“It could definitely be worse,” Sasha agreed. She still didn’t entirely understand what all the bits were in the soup, despite knowing they were some form of seafood. If they were headed to the coast, she planned to learn.

“Definitely!”

They each continued to drink their bizarre beverage. Hamid turned back to his book and Sasha looked out the window again. Instead of seeing only the empty countryside, now Sasha noticed the reflection of the people sitting beside her and she realized that not only was this her first train ride, it was the first time she didn’t have to be afraid. Instead of Eldarion or Barrett breathing down her neck, ready to punish her at the slightest misstep, she had companions that might stick up for her and even help clean up the mess.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed! Check out @sashaweek on tumblr for more good Sasha content!
> 
> Me: You already did a pun for one of the titles this week you can't do another one  
> Also me: *makes a train pun anyway*
> 
> If you want to find more of my writing, head over to kellanswritingblog.tumblr.com, or feel free to check out my personal, celsidebottom.tumblr.com


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